Heartworm Prevention

Heartworm prevention plays an important role in keeping your dog healthy.

According to the Heartworm Society, while heartworms are typically associated with dogs, they can actually infect more than 30 other species of animals including cats, ferrets, foxes and even humans. Once a dog is infected, the larvae continue to grow into adult heartworms. Infestation can range from one to as many as 250 worms in an animal, with a parasitic life span of up to five to seven years. With such staggering statistics, it's easy to understand the danger these parasites pose to your pet. What can you do to protect your dog? The simplest answer is heartworm prevention.

Since dog heartworm symptoms can be difficult and sometimes nearly impossible to detect until the dog is seriously infected, your best defense against the risk of heartworms is to take preventative action. Once your dog contracts heartworms, the treatment to eliminate those worms can be just as life-threatening as the infestation itself, although your pet will die without treatment.

In fact, heartworm treatment typically lasts several months and can involve several steps, including confining your dog to limit his activity level. To avoid the heartbreak of watching your beloved pet suffer and to keep him as healthy as possible, it's important to start him on heartworm prevention as soon as your veterinarian suggests you should do so.

Discuss with your doctor when and how to start your dog on prevention medication. There are several prevention methods, including the following:

• Tablets - These can be given daily or monthly depending upon the dosage and the brand, and they come in chewable forms as well. Ivermectin is often given under the brand name Heartguard, and Milbemycin oxime is often prescribed under the brand names Interceptor and Sentinel.
• Topicals - The most common topical heartworm preventative medication is Selamectin, which is used to protect your pet from heartworms as well as fleas and ticks. Moxidectin, marketed as Advantage Multi, is another topical heartworm/flea combination medication.
• Injections - Moxidectin is also given in its six-month injection form under the brand ProHeart. In 2004, ProHeart was voluntarily recalled due to concerns surrounding serious side effects. In 2008 however, the product was once again marketed under a special program to manage the risks and restrict distribution. Only a licensed veterinarian can give dogs these injections.

Which form of heartworm medication is best for your dog? Talk to your vet. The best medication for your dog really depends upon what you want or need to protect your dog from. While some medicines only prevent heartworms, others, such as Advantage Multi, also guard against other parasites.

• Since heartworms are carried through mosquitoes, many people mistakenly believe that preventative medication should only be given during the time of year in which these pests are prevalent. However, year-round preventative measures provide the best protection for your pet and can be particulary useful in climates that don't experience a full winter.
• It is also important that your dog be checked for heartworms before he is started on any preventative medication.
• Your veterinarian will probably place your puppy on preventative medication at around two months of age.

Some pet owners prefer to rely on more natural solutions as a form of preventative heartworm treatment, believing that commonly prescribed medications are toxic to a dog's body, and that serious side effects could cause even more complications and risks. Herbal treatments, such as HeartWorm Free and PetAlive Parasite Dr., are said to not only prevent against heartworms but also improve an animal's overall health. Many of these herbal supplements promote the following:

• Rid the body of internal parasites
• Protect against parasite infestation
• Improve digestive health
• Detoxify the digestive system
• Protect against other types of infections
• Reduce an abundance of yeast production
• Reduce digestive problems

If you choose to try one of these herbal treatments, be sure and consult your veterinarian and have your dog regularly tested for the presence of heartworms.

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